Effects of Long-Term and Multigeneration Exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to 9.4 GHz Microwaves

A large number of studies on the biological effects of microwaves are carried out using rodents and cells, but the conditions are difficult to control, and the irradiation period is short; the results obtained have always been controversial and difficult to reproduce. In this study, we expose nematodes to an electromagnetic environment for a long-term and multigeneration period to explore the possible biological effects. Wild-type N2 strains of Caenorhabditis elegans are exposed to 9.4 GHz microwaves at a specific adsorption rate of 4 W/kg for 10 h per day from L1 larvae to adults. Then, adult worms are washed off, and the laid eggs are kept to hatch L1 larvae, which are continuously exposed to microwaves until passing through 20 generations. The worms of the 10th, 15th, and 20th generations are collected for index detection. Interestingly, we found that the fecundity of C. elegans decreased significantly in the exposed group from the 15th generation. At the same time, we found that the growth of C. elegans decreased, motility decreased, and oxidative stress occurred in the exposed group from the 10th generation, which may play roles in the decreased spawning in worms. We preliminarily believe that the microwave energy received by worms leads to oxidative stress, which causes a decrease in the spawning rate, and the underlying mechanism needs to be further studied. © 2022 Bioelectromagnetics Society.